I love Ninjago and if you're looking for more Ninjago fanfiction that is all you'll find here.
147 posts
May I ask what alexandrite looks like in the crystoons AU?
You mean Jimmy+Danny+Timmy? I didn’t exactly made a design for them, so I just doodled this out in a whim, based on actual Alexandrite’s design. :o
Spongebob: *inhales deeply, about to eat food* (The raccoon attacks him, takes his food, and hops off the train again.) Aah! Aah! The raccoon is back! *panting* Um, Timmy? Can I have some of your food? Timmy: *dumps all of her food into his mouth* *munching* Oh, uh, sorry dude. Spongebob: My bindle couldn’t fit enough food for me and a raccoon. Timmy: Why didn’t you bring your backpack? Spongebob: It wouldn’t fit in my bindle? *climbs onto a hay stack* Maybe I can just sleep this hunger off. Just like the no home boys. *looks at the hay stack above him* You know, I feel like I’ve been misled about hay. It always looks so soft in those illustrations, but it’s actually really scratchy. *banging* (The hay stack falls on top of him.) Timmy, I want to go home now. (He watches as Timmy sits in front of the doorway of the train, ignoring him.) Timmy? *sits next to him* I’m done pretending to be a no home boy. Timmy: Not me. Spongebob: I’m sure Danny and Jimmy are worried sick about us. Wondering when we’re coming home. Timmy: That’s not my home.
Spongebob: But— Oh, that’s right. You’re from Homeworld.
Timmy: *angrily* That’s not my home either! Spongebob: Then where are you from? Timmy: I’ll show you. [Trans. ext. Kindergarten] Timmy: Here we are! *chuckles* Welcome to the Kindergarten! What do you think? Spongebob: Uh… It’s great! Timmy: Sure is! *chuckles while he grabs his arm* Come on! [Trans. int. Kindergarten] Spongebob: What is this place? Timmy: It’s kinda where I’m from. Spongebob: But I thought Gems were from space? Timmy: Jimmy and Danny are, but I was made here on Earth, *smiles* like you! *gasps* Check it out! *runs to a giant rock* *laughing* Oh, man. I missed this guy. Aww! It’s my climbing rock. Spongebob: *to the climbing rock* Uh, hello! Timmy: *points to slightly smaller rock* And over there— That’s the sitting rock. *points to offscreen rocks* And that was the one rock that I kicked into two rocks! *climbs the climbing rock and sits atop it* Spongebob: Uh, how long did you live here? Timmy: For a while, I guess, um, at least until I met your mom and the others. *flops off of rock* *laughs and runs further into the Kindergarten* Spongebob: *notices Injector* Woah! What is that thing? Timmy: Eh, it’s just some old Gem junk, from a long time ago. It’s probably busted by now. *walks to the right while Spongebob looks worriedly at the machines* *chuckles* *motions to a hole in the side of the cliff* Hey, Spongebob. Look. Here’s the hole I came out of! Spongebob: Hang on. What? Timmy: It’s my hole. *chuckles* *slides into the entrance of the hole* Look— It’s me-siiiiiized. *slides into the hole and sits* *sighs* Still got that good hole smell. Spongebob: You came out of this hole? Timmy: This is where I was made, dude. One day just… *makes pop sound* … Right outta this hole. Spongebob: *glances up at holes higher up on the cliffside* So, what about the other holes? [Whirring from warp pad] Jimmy: There you are. Timmy: Great. *exits hole* Here comes the fun police. Jimmy: Danny said you’d be here, but I didn’t want to believe it. Timmy, what were you thinking bringing Spongebob to a *whispers* Kindergarten!? Timmy: I don’t know. *kicks pebble* We were in the neighborhood. Spongebob: Jimmy? Was Timmy really made here? Jimmy: How much did you tell him? Timmy: What? You mean about the bad thing? How this bad place is where bad Gems came to grow more bad Gems? Is that what you’re talking about? Spongebob: They grew other Gems here?! Jimmy: Timmy, he’s not ready! Timmy: Oh, but don’t worry, Spongebob. Everything’s just fine now. Jimmy: Timmy. Timmy: It all worked out. We won! Jimmy: Stop. Timmy: And we shut this place down so the Earth would be safe from parasites like me! Jimmy: Timmy! That’s enough! Spongebob: Jimmy? Jimmy: Spongebob, I’m sorry. I never wanted you to see this horrible place. Timmy: Then why don’t you just leave!? (He summons his weapon, wrapping the whip around Jimmy and tosses him against an Injector.) Admit it. *swings whip towards Jimmy, who dodges, causing the whip to slice through the leg of the machine* I’m just an embarrassment to you! Spongebob: Timmy! *is picked up and thrown by him* *gasps* Wait! Jimmy: *summons his weapon* I don’t want to fight you. Timmy: I wouldn’t want to fight me neither! *spin-dashes towards Pearl, who dodges* (Jimmy blasts energy-spheres from his spear at him. Timmy jumps into the air, smashing his whip downwards. Jimmy steps on it and slices part of it off with his spear.) Spongebob: *running towards them* You guys, stop it! Timmy: Stay out of this! *tosses his whip at Spongebob, which wraps around his legs and causes him to fall*
(Jimmy jumps towards Timmy and Timmy tries to hit him with his whip. Jimmy dodges each swing and kicks Timmy away.) Jimmy: Timmy, stop this! You can’t beat me. Timmy: I… don’t… CARE! *summons two whips and wraps the ends of both around Jimmy’s spear* I’m not gonna let you stand there and remind me of everything I hate about myself! (Timmy sends magenta beams of energy down the whips, which cause a huge explosion that slams Jimmy against the Injector. Jimmy lays on the ground.) Jimmy: *whimpers* Timmy: I never asked for it to be this way. *tears fall down his face* I never asked to be made! Jimmy: Timmy… Spongebob: *stands in front of Jimmy, holding his arms out with tears on his eyes* Timmy, please, no more! I know you’re upset, but, I can’t bear to watch you two hurt each other. (They all gasp upon hearing a creaking and rattling, and look up to see the Injector about to collapse on all three of them. Spongebob summons his bubble, which only manages to cover Jimmy and himself.) Spongebob: Timmy! Timmy, Timmy, TIMMY! (Timmy begins to run and there’s a crashing noise as the machine finally smashes down, assuming that it fell onto Timmy.)
AU belongs to @nicktoonsunite
Jenny (booming echo): You shouldn’t be here! Danny: She sensed us. Spongebob: Jenny! It’s me, Spongebob! [Data gathering. Jenny forms her own face made out of data] Jenny: Go away! Before I make you. Spongebob: But we’re beach-summer-fun buddies! Jenny: *forms Spongebob’s face from data* *as Spongebob* Noooo! Spongebob/Sandy: *gasps* Jenny: *forms her own face again* You’re one of them. One of the Crystoons. Timmy/Jimmy: *growl angrily* Danny: *puts a hand on their shoulders* Easy. Spongebob: What do you mean? We’re all Gems, right? Just let us help you. Jenny: You don’t understand. Just leave me alone… Spongebob: We’re not leaving, Jenny. Not until you give us back our technology! – Aah! Jenny: I said… (She forms a data clone of Spongebob, and the Spongebob clone stretches his arm forward to force Spongebob back.) Leave me alone! Spongebob: Ah! (Data clones of the Crystoons appear.) Jimmy: Jack, kids, you stay behind us. We’ll handle this. Jack: Sounds good to me! *runs away* (Crystoons and the data clones summon their weapons.) Timmy: Ruh-oh. Danny: Stand together. Don’t let them separate us. *punched by data Danny* *pained grunt* Spongebob: Danny! Danny: *pained grunt* *cracks neck twice* (Danny and data Danny engage in combat.) Timmy: (Timmy uses his whip to grab nearby rocks and sling them at his data clone, missing each time.) Aw, come on! Aah! (His data clone grabs Timmy with his whip and throws him down.) *screams* *pained grunt* Timmy: Well, as long as we’re playing fair… *transforms into Magenta Marauder* *yells* Jimmy: *slices his data clone in half with his spear* *laughs* (The two halves each create one data Jimmy.) *sighs and summons another spear* I hate fighting me. Lion: *roars supersonic waves at data Spongebob, which he dodges* Sandy: Come on, Lion! Spongebob: You can take me! (Data Spongebob stretches his arms forward and slams Lion into Jack’s van.) Jack: Oh no, not the van! Spongebob: Revenge! Sandy: Revenge! Spongebob and Sandy: (They yell as Sandy throws a rock at data Spongebob and Spongebob uses a water gun to shoot his data clone.) (Data Spongebob wraps Spongebob and Sandy’s heads in electrical wires in an attempt to strangle them.) Spongebob and Sandy: *muffled screams* Jack: Kids! Sandy: *loses her breath and groans* Spongebob: *muffled distress sounds* (Jack hits data Spongebob with his van, freeing Sandy and Spongebob.) Spongebob and Sandy: *coughing and gagging* Spongebob: Sandy! Jack: Is this a NORMAL magical mission for you? ‘Cause I’m not so sure how comfortable I am with you going on these any-mo-o-o–re!!!! (Jack’s van is picked up and thrown by data Spongebob, along with Jack who is still in the van.) Spongebob: Jack! *runs over to him* Jack: *coughing, pained grunt* *crawls out of the van* Spongebob: Jack! Jack! Are you OK? Jack: *groans* Ugh, I think my leg’s broken. See, this is why we wear seatbelts, kids. Spongebob: Jenny, I don’t want to fight anymore. (Data Spongebob hurls a ball of data at Spongebob.) Spongebob: I said, “I DON’T WANNA FIGHT”! (Spongebob summons his shield and the data hits it.) (The impact makes a metallic noise and the reverberation causes the data clones to disappear.)
Crystoons AU belongs to @nicktoonsunite
(Spongebob hops onto the vein and slides down.) Spongebob: Woo! Yeah! *flies off the pole* Triple 550 Deluxe with no cheese! (Spongebob lands on his face and gets up with a slight limp.) Spongebob: *strained* Yep, perfect landing.. [Int. Burning Room] (Spongebob looks at the array of bubbled Gems.) Spongebob: Hmm. There we go! *climbs up towards Zim’s gem* Gotcha! Whoa! (Spongebob falls back to the floor, the bubble pops, and Zim regenerates.) Zim: -the Cluster, you insufferable half-formed traitor mega-clods!! (Zim wiggles his fingers realizing that his limb enhancers are gone.) Spongebob: *with smiley faces in his eyes* Oh my gosh… you’re so… cuuuuute! Zim: My limb enhancers! Where are my limb enhancers?! Spongebob: Aw, you’re like.. an angry little slice of pie! Zim: Stop talking! I demand to know what this place is, and where I- (Zim looks up and sees dozens of other bubbled Gems.) Zim: Oh my stars… You’re going to harvest me?! Spongebob: No! I mean… (Zim slaps him.) Ow, that hurt! Zim: … It did? Spongebob: Yeah, a lot. (Zim slaps him again.) Ow! Zim: Yes! Feel my unbridled rage! (Zim begins slapping him repeatedly.) Spongebob: Hey! Hey, hey. What’s that on your shirt? Zim: What’s a shirt? (Spongebob flicks his finger up at his face.) Ow! That’s it! (Zim tackles Spongebob and slaps him over and over again.) Spongebob: Why are you acting like this!? Zim: You smashed me into a limbless cloud! You trapped me in your bubble dungeon! And, you called me.. *sniffs angrily, blushes angrily* … cute! Spongebob: I didn’t poof you! I freed you! Zim: … Why would you make such a miscalculation? Spongebob: Back at the Warp Pad, what were you trying to say? Why do we need you? What do you know? Zim: What do I know? Everything there is to know about the Cluster, you pebble. Spongebob: Cluster? Wait, “pebble”? Zim: My mission. The reason why I’m on this sad rock in the first place! I was to check progress on the Cluster! Just in and out, before it hatches. I wasn’t supposed to get stuck here! But now it’s going to emerge and nothing can stop it, and we’ll all be shattered! Spongebob: Okay, okay, wait, slow down. Now, from the top… emerging, hatching, Clusters? Zim: You wanna know? Spongebob: Yes. Zim: You really wanna know? Spongebob: Yes? Zim: What’s your shirt? *points to his pajamas* Spongebob: These are my banana pajamas. (Zim flicks his face) Ow! Wait, don’t run away! (Zim begins climbing out of the room, laughing maniacally towards the Temple Gate.) [Int. Spongebob’s house] (Zim runs out of the temple laughing manically, followed by Spongebob.) Spongebob: Stop! They’re gonna see you! Zim: *spreads arms out wide* Freedom is miine!! (Zim stops, and slowly turns towards Jimmy, Danny, and Timmy at the kitchen table.) Spongebob: Wait! Zim: *stuttering while pointing to the ceiling hoping that the Gems will look away* Look! Over there! Another planet to betray! (Danny summons his gauntlets, Timmy eats the whole pizza box in one gulp.) Zim: *shaking in fear* Retreat! (Zim runs to the front door, but Jimmy and Danny block his path.) Jimmy: Oh, no you don’t! Zim: Eeep!! (Zim scampers up the stairs, where Timmy is waiting on Spongebob’s bed.) Timmy: *pulls whip* Heey. Zim: Ahh! *jumps back down to the floor* Ow! Danny: Get him! (Zim runs into the bathroom and locks the door.) Zim: *off-screen* You may have won the war, but the battle isn’t over, Crystoon Clods! *laughs* Jimmy: Should we tell him that’s the bathroom? Timmy: Eh. [Int. Spongebob’s bathroom] Zim: *looks upward* Hmm… Seems I discovered some sort of archaic think chamber. Roomy. *opens toilet lid* With a fresh hint of Earth citrus. A perfect crossroads for my escape. [Ext. Spongebob’s Bathroom] Timmy: It’s locked. Danny: Zim, open the door! (The toilet flushes.) Timmy: If you’re trying to flush yourself down the toilet, it won’t work. Trust me, I’ve tried. (Zim is seen swirling in the toilet.) Jimmy: How did he get out? We bubbled him! Timmy: Maybe we needed a bigger bubble. Danny: My bubbles are fine. Spongebob: *guiltily* … I did it.
(Screen cuts to Danny, Timmy, and Jimmy looking shocked.) Jimmy: Spongebob! Why would you do such a thing!? Spongebob: Because he knows something! Something that’s made him scared! Timmy: *punches fist* Duh. Homeboy knows we’re gonna beat him into a green pancake. Spongebob: No, not ‘cause of us. 'Cause of something called 'the Cluster’. Danny: *crosses arms* Cluster? That’s new. Jimmy: What else did he tell you? Spongebob: That’s all I got. Zim: That’s right, you dirt bombs! You don’t even know what’s coming!!! *notices mirror* Ooh.. Danny: I’m tired of playing these games. (Zim is seen making faces in the mirror.) Danny: If we can’t fight him, then fine. We’ll talk. Zim. Zim: *slips off the sink* Whoa! Danny: Alright, no more fighting. Let’s just have a civil conversation. Zim: As if I’d negotiate with you, filthy war machine! Danny: *summons gauntlets* Okay, let’s kick his butt. Spongebob: Wait! Zim: *holds a plunger while hanging from the shower curtains* Yeah! Destroy me again, and have fun trying to talk to me when I’m in a bubble! *regretting what he just said, quickly positions himself and covers his mouth* Jimmy: I really hate to say it, but unfortunately if he has information, he’s more valuable to us like… this. Danny: This is going to be tricky. Zim: *faintly, through the door* H-h-hot hot hot! Spongebob: You have to turn the knob the other way for cold! AU belongs to @nicktoonsunite
wEHH silly little jimmytimmy christmas doodle for pooshpin BECAUSE <33
Sorry I couldn’t to get on chat for a while, hun;; >A< Hope you’re enjoying your holidays though! :D And that goes to everyone else too!! Happy Holidays!!!
i have a graphic tablet yesterday and i draw da baes
Crystoons belong to this pretty here
AND NUMBER TWO OF THE NONSENSE I’M WRITING TO COPE.
[Ninjago season 15 finale spoilers]
So, like I said earlier, I was a little salty about Kai’s lack of reaction to the whole Nya thing, so I wrote something where he did react, and now here’s something as an explanation for why he didn’t react in canon.
HERE WE GO.
-
She’s not going anywhere, the mantra in Kai’s head continued through the funeral and even after as they spoke to so many of the ones who had come to pay their respects to someone who was not truly lost. She’s not gone. None of us are ever gone. We always come back. They always come back.
He clutched his bowl in his hands, now empty of the water he’d poured into the vase during the funeral. How many funerals had he attended? Zane’s. Cole hadn’t had one, neither had Pixal. So many near death experiences but they were never really gone. They were never gone.
Keep reading
Like Father Like Son belongs to @eternalglitch
I take commissions!
Whumptober 2020 Day 27 - Power Outage
Any ROTTMNT fanfics you've started reading recently?
Sure thing! Keep in mind though most of the fics I like to read tend to be angst or hurt/comfort; I like things with intense emotions and high stakes most of the time, though not all of them are like this! Here’s a small list I gathered up:
Accidents Happen by @skeletalblush
One of the first rise fics I started reading! A fic about Donnie recovering from a near-fatal injury while his brothers do their best to help him out.
leak in the boat (a winter’s interlude) by @dumbdotcomm
A post series what-if scenario about the family hiding away in a farmhouse to recover after the final battle with Shredder. a little luck and some frogs is another fic by this author I like, a one-shot about Raph and Mikey post Many Unhappy Returns; sweet and fluffy!
Merci and Sommeil by @aspenrunes
These two fics are tied together! Merci is a Donnie-centric fic about his vulnerabilities in the aftermath of Many Unhappy Returns. Sommeil takes on Leo’s perspective as he contemplates everything that happened, and his brothers are sleeping for a strangely long amount of time. This one has a bit of a mystery going on, which I’m really excited about!
Time Ticks By by @void-inked-pen
During a particularly bad winter in the lair, Leo and Donnie are struggling to stay awake in the cold and Mikey gets himself trapped under a collapsed sewer pipe on a supply run.
Like Father Like Son by @eternalglitch
I’m sure you’ve already heard of this one, but I figured I’d put it on this list anway! A what-if scenario post Evil League of Mutants, in which Draxum is not so quick to give up on his mutant soldier project, and captures Leo in an attempt to revive it. The emotional impacts in this fic are written wonderfully, both from the perspective of Leo as he’s forced to obey Draxum, and his brothers as they desperately try to get him back.
Lingering Fears, Thunderstorms and Jupiter Jim Comics, and Panic Buttons by @painted-arachnid
Three hurt/comfort one-shots that I really enjoyed! The first two are focused on the Leo+Mikey dynamic, while the last one is for Leo and Raph!
Hey y’all, this is what I do when I relax, how about you? Sure they’re not perfect 5x5 sheets, but In my defense I was lazy and it was fun! Take a wack at it if you want, I’d highly recommend it!
Bingo sheets for @eternalglitch‘s fic Like Father Like Son and @rottmntfantasyau‘s The Morning Messanger, The Blood Moon Hunter, the Prince of Day and Light, and The Twilight Thief. Vague spoiler warning for these fics!
Misc. Leo doodles
(Like Father Like Son AU by @eternalglitch. If you know who started the Magician’s Assistant and Blind!Leo AU, lmk)
Alternate Timeline
“Don’t worry guys!
I’ll always be with you”
I’ve seen headcannons everywhere that Leo and (to a lesser extent) Donnie get cold really easily, and thus can get really sick or enter “brumination” or something. Soooo how do you feel about that headcannon and do you have any angsty situations that could result? >:D
Well, since they’re shown shivering/sweating in canon, they must have at least some internal temperature regulation (so they aren’t entirely cold-blooded and hypothermia is more likely than brumation). That said, I can see Leo and Donnie running a little colder than the others, or just having a distaste for the cold.
“I produce NO body heat!” Leo dramatically exclaims while Donnie pulls on a beanie because he gets a headache whenever his ears get cold.
And then, if you think about when Leo had a hard time with his portals...
hey it’s happened in every other version
Keep reading
Pg. 1 of 4
For @fraymotiif and @painted-arachnid
I'm sorry 2003 fans,but Sainw Leo was soooo badass and I was wondered "what if Rise! Leo borned blind?" It would be very Interesting
He keeps his personality and always make jokes about his disability,even bother his brothers with that
He has acrophobia,that's because he can't feel nothing while is jumping from high places like a common ninja would do,the Ōdachi was a bless for him
He still believing is the "Face Man",this is because his brothers were triying to give him more selfsteme
He and Mikey are more sensitive than Raph and Donnie,Mikey has synesthesia while the rest of Leo senses are super developed
Raph was very overprotective with Leo being a Toddler
Leo usually confuses his blind stick with Donnie's bō
He loves hear their brothers narrate the figths from Lou Jitsu's movies
Alternate Timeline
“Don’t worry guys!
I’ll always be with you”
Holy shit, I had not seen that one, I don’t use Deviantart! Hold on a second while I feel personally attacked by a scene that I wrote myself. That’s incredibly well done, I hope the artist has my kudos passed along.
Also oops, you got introduced by the most recent scene to the whole story haha. Well, happy to have you join us!
I asked if I could share the link to this Like Father Like Son animation here, because full color animation is so much work and should be seen. Check it out!
Full credit to JaNikXs on Youtube, of course.
Unrecognizable -
Like Father, Like Son by @eternalglitch
[remembers 20 years later to post this]
Oh yeah, here was my piece for the first Mad Dogz zine! It’s been a year, but I’m still proud of it :}
An excuse to ramble about my favorite rottmnt fics?!?! HECK YEAH!!! HERE WE GO
(I dont know everyone’s tumblrs, but Ill tag the ones I do know)
A Long Way To Go by @sammyheroes
(2018) Leonardo gets really sick with a strange yokai disease and his family tries to figure out why… Dont wanna say too much to give anything away, but if you like to read about magic, possession, brotherly bonding and angst, and a lil bit of apriltello, read this!! It’s amazing, and theres a sequel too that just started that Im OBSESSED with.
Like Father Like Son by @eternalglitch
(2018) Probably the most popular rottmnt fic in existence, but its going on this list anyways for the new people in the fandom to know about too! Its Leo centric and features Draxum kidnapping him to get his original turtle warrior plan back up and running. Its an amazing fanfiction, one of my favorite fanfics of any fandom Ive ever been in, but it does feature some pretty dark topics. Make sure u keep the tags and warnings in mind if you read!
It Started With the Milk
Donnie is acting strange, very strange… And Leo is gonna figure out why. A creepy fic that has just the right amount of psychological horror and angst for me.
Frayed Knots
My favorite 2012/2018 crossover fic! It has some really cool takes on the concept I havent seen before, like the emotions and fears that one of them have bleeding into their counterpart (so like, 2012 Leo feeling 2018 Leo’s fears, for example). Its really really good and I definitely reccommend it
Shellshocked
Angsty fic in which Leo gets his shell cracked while protecting Donnie. Angst/comfort with a happy ending—I may or may not have stopped writing this list in the middle of it just to reread this one
The Cornerstore by @imaginashon
(2018) Cute turtle tots story with amazing artwork to go along with it. Splinter lets the boys play while he goes scavenging, but when it gets too cold theyre forced to find refuge in a human store. A lot of my previous recs are pretty angsty but this is so fluffy and its adorable!
The Brains and the Brawn
Ok its a comic, not a fic, but close enough. Donnie and Raph team up! The two try and beat the Purple Dragons but stuff happens and Donnie loses access to his tech and Raph is forced to do some math. Its got angst, comfort, and humor. Definitely recommend.
Its Alright Its Okay
When Leo is injured during a cave in incident, his brothers try and keep him alive… The only problem? Leo is the team’s only medic, and his brothers have no idea what to do. Angst/comfort, and I must have read the final chapter like a dozen times by now because I love one of the ending scenes so much.
If anyone else has any recs, feel free to reblog and add them!
Hello tmnt fandom (Specifically Rise/LFLS fandom aaa) it has been a while have this comic I did based on @eternalglitch 's fanfic Like Father Like Son y'all should go read it it be good It is currently the only TMNT content I am consuming until the Rise movie atm, which apparently is coming soon aaa
Edit: mmmmm PLEASE click for better quality Tumblr screwed it up again-
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 |
Based off of an ask by @doctor-catpi and Like Father Like Son by @eternalglitch !
*throws this and runs and pretends it hasn’t been months since I thought about working on this*
Chapter 35: The Blizzard
Scorched needles, scarps of wood blackened by rage, and bits of ash and charcoal scattered across the burnt snow where the proud pine tree once stood. Specks of blood and splinters dropped from the Sorcerer's scraped and roughened fingertips like someone had scattered rubies. His nails were shredded and his cuticles were split from clawing at the bark in a fit of rage. His fury had reduced the aged pine to a pile of ashes. All while, the raven remained still on its perch in the snow, completely unfazed by his master's wrath.
The Sorcerer's growl was dangerous and low before he suddenly screamed and spun around delivering a powerful blow to the young sapling unfortunate enough to be in the path of his wrath.
It made no effort to protests the Sorcerer's rage. Blinded by his rage, all he could see were the images his spy had shown. Images of that disgustingly repulsive beast, not even a beast but a half-beast, dancing with the Occulti, his Occulti. He clenching his fists causing his fingers to scream in pain but he was numb to all but his rage. He could forgive Kai for that. Surely the Dragon was becoming desperate and would use any kindness to trick the youth into saying the words needed to break his curse and deny him his greatest triumph.
He could forgive the youth for his naivety and his defenselessness.
He was merciful, but not after treachery. His wrath erupted, sending the curling shadows at his feet exploding in all directions. They shattered and pierced whatever they came in contact with until the clearing was a hollow circle of scorched earth.
"He's dirty! That damned whore! Damn him for giving away his purity, and damn me for thinking any one of their kind was redeemable!" He screamed and stomped his foot and tore at his hair and clothes until he panted like a beast after a hunt. But no matter how loud he screamed or how much he destroyed, it could never destroy that last scene from his mind. That beautiful boy, who should have been his consort and ruling at his side, wantonly giving his virginity to that monster and enjoying it.
He wanted to scream again, but someone else beat him to it.
"Lloyd! Where are you?!" A woman cried and the weak call was followed by a loud stumble against the carpet of snow. Bewildered, the Sorcerer quickly shielded himself among the trees careful not to let a spot of his red clothing betray his location. He watched a young woman rise stumbling from the muddy earth, and choke loudly on air. Like a shadow, the Sorcerer swooped closer and gasped. It was easy to miss from a distance but beneath the thick winter clock and the leaves and mud matting the sister of his Occulti.
The girl bulldozed through the woods and threw herself forward through the snow.
The action caused her heavy cloak to fall open revealing a shower of black hair, shiny even in the shadows of the winter forest. The girl immediately stumbled and almost fell over, but she was able to remain standing by leaning against a nearby tree. She was clearly sick as a dog and should be going home, but she had to keep going. She tried to scream, but instead choked on her own words and coughed in a way that made even the Sorcerer's skin crawl.
"I have... to find... Lloyd," She wheezed, shoving herself off the tree with surprising strength and half stumbled in her haste. She didn't get far before exhaustion and the brutal cold forced her to her knees. "I have to find them! I have to find Lloyd then we can save Kai! I have to get them back!" She spoke passionately to no one, but it was laced with the madness of grief. Again she shoved herself forward but instead her hands clenched her head and formed fists against her hair.
"I have to protect them! I promised I would! I promised them! Mom and Dad, I promised, and look what I've done! Lloyd's probably dead and I can't even think of what Kai's going through!" She screamed and tore at her hands and clothes with the rage and madness that only grief could drive a sane man to. She slammed her fists against the ground and punched at anything she could. All of a sudden, she was suddenly filled with new determination and charged into the blizzard, not aware she was being watched.
A triumphant smile split the Sorcerer's face.
Perhaps, there was some hope left after all. He smirked cunningly and called his pet. The bird abandoned its statue state and flew to its master's wrist.
"Tell me, my pet is he the one? The one our little Occulti spoke off?" He asked, but even though the bird said nothing a flash of its eyes and the Sorcerer had his answer. "And this 'Lloyd' she searches for, is he the other?" He questioned and again the bird was like a prop, only its glowing eyes gave an indication that it was alive. The Sorcerer snickered to conceal his glee, not wishing to betray his location to the still wandering mage. He spun in delight, thinking this was fantastic. It seemed that the Fates favored him after all.
"Follow her, when you've reached them both, alert me; now go!" He ordered as a grin curled wickedly on his face. The bird was off without another word, vanishing in the darkness while its Master laughed at his fortune. "Oh don't worry, girl, you shall see your little brother again soon!" He cackled like a flock of crows taking to wing and threw his bloody cloak over his shoulder...
It had been two weeks since he ran away from home to find the castle where his beloved brother was being held prisoner by that beast. Two weeks he had been living in the woods surviving only because of the warming weather of the upcoming spring and because years of living a nomadic life had taught him to pack and prepare for the worst of situations. Two weeks since he had begun his search for Kai and he had found nothing. He thought it would be easy, with Spring fast approaching, that is until a blizzard appeared seemingly out of nowhere.
It had caught Lloyd completely off-guard and forced him to stop his search and find shelter.
Lloyd whimpered as he bunched his knees to his chest, shivering but not from the cold. The multiple fires he had started to keep the cave air warm, and the thick clothing he had packed had taken care of that. He covered his mouth to silence the heavy, haggard coughs fighting to escape. Quickly, he unpacked the bag containing a herbal blend and dumped it into the pot of water that had been boiling over the fire. He inhaled a sharp, large breathe and exhaled contently.
Immediately, he felt his throat soothe and his chest became less constricted.
He hadn't needed to use the herbal vapors so much before, but the cold weather wasn't doing his weak chest any good. He knew he would have been fine if he stayed in that warm house at night like a good boy. But how could he when Kai had been missing for almost five months, and the castle where the dragon kept him prisoner seemed to completely vanish? The thought made Lloyd's eyes prick with tears, but he managed not to cry. His fingers trembled, he clenched his arms and knees tighter in an attempt to feel some form of comfort.
But there was none. Nothing he did could replace the warmth and security he felt when he, Nya, and Kai were all together at home.
He knew he couldn't go home. Nya would never let him leave the house again until he was eighty. Lloyd didn't blame her, he ran away after all, but he couldn't keep waiting. He couldn't keep sitting around and doing nothing while his older sister worked and searched diligently for their missing sibling. He had traveled deeper and deeper into the woods. No matter how many times he found himself back at the path where they got lost in the storm, however, he couldn't find any trace of the huge castle.
Had it been sheer dumb luck that Kai found it the first time?
Or that they found it at all? Lloyd shook his head, forcing himself to dry his sleepy eyes. He then sat up with new determination, mentally forcing the tears and shivering down deep. If Kai could find the castle to save him and Nya then he could do the same thing to save Kai. He removed himself from the warmth of his fires and carefully approached the edge of the cave entrance, where he could hear the blizzard howling and blowing. The cold air bit angrily against his lukewarm skin, as if punishing him for daring to defy it.
Over the woods, he could see the setting sun was nothing more than a yellow sliver above the trees and the night had gone a deep grayish purple of twilight that bled into the dark blue and black of night.
Seeing that there was no point in traveling in the dark, Lloyd slid back into the crevice in the rocks and carefully covered it with a thick net of branches to keep out the cold. He had found this cave by sheer accident when he had slipped and fallen into the entrance. Through that, he discovered a fairly large-sized cave, hollowed out of the dirt and lined with rocks like a fox den. Lloyd had decided it would be the perfect place to camp while he explored the woods by day.
That proved to be true when the underground and rocks blocked out much of the night's cold.
The small opening allowed just enough air so that he wouldn't suffocate from the smoke of the fires. Sometimes, when he felt really weak and his medicine wasn't helping. He would have to spend all day curled up in his makeshift tent under the thick blankets he had brought until his shivering stopped and he could move again. Tonight had been one of his rare nights where he had just enough energy to go exploring again, but he regretted it when he had received an unwanted follower.
Lloyd shivered and blew air into his gloved hands, and rubbed them together before returning to the fire.
Outside a loud crunch of the snow made him scream, the sound echoing off the cave walls forcing Lloyd to cover his ears until it faded out.
"LLOYD!" Nya's voice suddenly screeched, coming closer to the cave. Before he could say anything, she pulled away from the cover and started sobbing tears of joy when she saw her little brother huddled in the dark. Lloyd didn't get a chance to react before she suddenly hugged the air out of his lungs. They stayed like that for a few seconds, before a look of rage fell over her face and she started shaking the little boy. "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING LLOYD?! I'VE ALREADY LOST KAI, DO YOU THINK I WANT TO LOSE YOU?! WELL, DO YOU?!" She screamed, still sobbing through clenched teeth.
However, her rage suddenly vanished when Lloyd finally released all the tears he had been holding in and started sobbing loudly.
Nya sighed and hugged her little brother again, letting him sob into her shoulder until he eventually tired himself out and fell asleep. As soon as she was sure he was out cold, Nya packed up his things and lifted him up in her arms. Once he was secure and safe, she left the cave and began to head home. However, it only took a few seconds to discover that she couldn't find the trail leading back to the village in this monstrous blizzard. She tried turning around and heading back to the cave.
But her face paled when she realized that the blizzard had covered her footprints in fresh snow.
She was now stranded in the middle of a blizzard in the forest with one brother sick in her arms and the other being held prisoner by a monster...
Kai screamed for his siblings in his sleep as he thrashed around in the bed, only to find himself restrained. His eyes suddenly flew open and he found himself being held in place by Cole, the man's green eyes fixed on him with a mixture of fear and concern. A cold stab of fear pierced him, completely unaware of where he was. He recognized Cole's room, but the bedsheets were twisted and half flung off. One of Kai's arms raised over his head the other clenched the pillow in a fierce death grip, with Cole holding both his wrists.
Cole's tail was wrapped firmly around Kai's waist to keep from thrashing about.
Slowly, so as not to scare him further, Cole unwound himself and looked him over for any sign of injury.
"Kai? Are you alright?" He asked, carefully and tenderly. The details of his nightmare came back to him like a cold knife twisting into his heart. A sudden stab of guilt and terror knifed through him, making Kai flip over and smother his face in a pillow and burst into tears. "Kai? Talk to me!" Cole pleaded as he kept shaking him, his voice sterner, but not losing an ounce of concern.
"I'm fine," Kai lied wiping his eyes. "I just had a nightmare."
"I can see that, you don't wake up crying and screaming if you've had a good dream," Cole said bluntly, lying down next to him and pulling Kai into his arms. Despite Cole's attempt at light humor, Kai said nothing. He just looked at the pillow beneath his face. A tear he hadn't noticed ran down his face and he found himself shaking again. He tried to speak but the only coherent thoughts in his head were the pleading, effusing eyes of his two brothers.
Determined to relieve his precious flame of his distress, Cole wrapped tentative arms around Kai.
He then pulled the brunette into his lap and brought him down with him against the pillows. Kai resisted the embrace and tried to protest but regretted it when Cole looked him straight in the eye. His face was a mask that betrayed no emotion, but his serious eyes held unspoken trust.
"You saw your siblings, didn't you? You're worried about them." He said and Kai's flinch of shock was the only answer Cole needed. "Don't look so surprised, you screamed both their names; I've had nightmares about my sister and parents for years after they vanished, so you don't have to hide your worry, and I don't want you thinking you can't come to me when you're upset like this." He promised as he tucked one of Kai's loose bangs behind his ear.
"It's not that," Kai admitted, feeling his chest stir at the words. He paused, guilt shaking him to the core. "I don't know if that was a nightmare or another premonition, but... it made me realize just how selfish I've been; here I am, happier than I've ever been in my entire life, surrounded by people who adore me, wearing the most expensive things I've ever owned! I'm practically living a fairy tale and they think I'm starving to death in some cold, dark tower, being tortured."
"Oh," Cole muttered as Kai covered his head with his arms and buried it in Cole's chest.
"They probably think I'm dead, Cole!" Kai cried as tears streamed down his face. He had never stopped thinking of his siblings, not since the day he had arrived at the castle. It seemed wrong to do anything else. Even when he started to like his confinement, and enjoy the company of the Dragon Lord, he still remembered his brother and sister and was comforted in the thought that they were both safe and hopefully happy. He never stopped to consider that his sacrifice might have the opposite effect of what he intended.
Or that his disappearance had destroyed their lives in a way he never considered.
But he had been so happy. The last few days were like a dream come true and he wanted nothing more than to pretend that it could last forever, and he dared, for once, to be selfish and think of nothing but his own happiness. Of course, that decision would come back to haunt him. Guilt pooled in Cole's gut and he cursed his own helplessness as he watched Kai weep. He hated seeing Kai like this. The brunette deserved to be happy and content, not feel like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, and be consumed by guilt and shame for wanting to forget that and enjoy life for once.
Especially since it was his fault Kai's family was separated from him.
Looking back at the darkest and earliest days of when he and Kai met when he had unleashed his bitterness and rage against Nya and Lloyd. Kai's siblings had every right to be afraid of him. He had only agreed to Kai's proposal because the boy fascinated him and not because he cared at all about their fates, even if Lloyd's health had concerned him. It had filled him with shame and he knew he had to make up for it. None of them deserved to be separated from one another.
Especially not because of him.
They deserved better than that ridiculous town trapped in time, and he knew just how to do it. Cole stroked Kai's back and gently shook him. When Kai raised his head, eyes red-rimmed and cheeks damp with tears, Cole comforted him with caring words pressed with butterfly kisses along his neck and temples.
"If you're that concerned about them, then you can always invite them to stay here." He said with a soft smile and Kai shot up.
"What?" He croaked in a weak voice forced through a constricted throat.
"There's more than enough room here, the staff will adore them; you already said you three planned on leaving your town anyway, and I don't think they'll argue if you ask them, and I can bear the bulk of their hatred for your sake."
"Why would they hate you?" Kai blurted, too stunned to think clearly, and Cole raised an eyebrow of annoyed obviousness.
"Given the fact that I locked them in a tower and technically kidnapped you, I doubt they'd be happy to see me or be comfortable with the fact that you're now my lover, but as I said, I can bear the bulk of their hatred until they see I'm not as cold as I act."
"You'd do that for me?"
"I'd do anything for you," Cole replied, pressing their foreheads together. Overcome by emotion, Kai launched himself into Cole's chest and held him tight with such force he nearly knocked Cole over. Tears rained down his cheeks but this time they were happy tears.
"Thank you, Cole! Thank you so much! I don't deserve you!" Kai cried as he buried himself in Cole's torso grateful for the man's comfort and support and his understanding more than anything else.
"Don't ever say that again, don't even think it." Cole scolded but there was little force behind it. Cole pulled the comforter up to Kai's shoulders as they fell back asleep. "We'll talk more about it in the morning."
"Thank you, Cole, thank you for everything." Kai yawned as he dried his eyes.
"You have nothing to thank me for, it's the least I can do since you saved my soul." Cole smiled as he sensed Kai's lingering uncertainty, he continued to hold his lover close and comfort him until they finally fell back into a peaceful sleep. Cole continued to hold Kai, keeping a careful watch for the rest of the night, treasuring the feeling of holding Kai close. When the nightmares bothered him again, Cole was quick to chase them away and coaxed Kai back to sleep with soothing touches and caring words until Kai quieted...
I guess the other ice spitter is Garmadon, right? But are you going to seriously kill Wu? Well, rather, are you going to make Garmadon kill Wu? I mean, if you didn't watch the show, the good ice-spitter is actually Drago's ice-spit son.
No I didn't know that but it doesn't matter. And I have something else in mind, you'll just have to wait and see. 😉
Ed and Cliff shivered badly as they flew on Karloff's back over a half-frozen ocean in the middle of a snowstorm. The sun was almost completely set by now, casting the sky in a beautiful light and dark purple with a faded yellow. High above them were dozens of stars starting to appear through the clouds. On any other day, Cliff, Ed, and Karloff would have found it beautiful. But they were too focused and worried about Kai and Jay to think about it.
"He's just like his mother! She could never stay put either!" Cliff suddenly shouted in frustration at his son's stubbornness. When he first met her, Libber may have come off as a little awkward, but once he got to know her, she was strong and uncompromising and was always willing to stand up for those who were helpless. Jay was almost a perfect copy of his mother and most of the time Cliff loved it, but not today.
"He's just twenty, and a Viking; I mean there couldn't be the worst combination." "When I think of how stubborn and senseless you were back in the day..." He trailed off as his expression switched to a hopeless one. "Huh, now not much has changed actually.
"Ah, you know how he's like; he won't give up, and if Jay finds Iron Baron before we find him..." Cliff gulped in fear at the thought. He had already lost some of his closest friends thanks to that monster, he wouldn't let him take his son.
"Nothing can happen to your boy as long as Kai is with him; he's a Fire Dragonblood for crying out loud!" Ed tried to reassure his friend, but it did little to help the old chief. While he agreed that Kai was powerful and cared about Jay, he was more stubborn and careless than his son. Cliff was about to voice his concerns when he noticed something in the corner of his eyes. Below them, a crack in the ice was seen. Cliff noticed it and made Karloff fly back.
As they approached the hole in, Ed leaned on the side and grabbed the floating helmet out of the water.
Sitting back up, he handed it to Cliff who carefully looked at it. He looked back and Ed caught his concerned gaze. Cliff looked down at his dragonblood in determination and offered him the helmet to sniff.
"Find them, Karloff!" He ordered. Karloff took a sniff, memorizing the scent. The Metal Dragonblood growled and started beating his wings faster as they ascended, the storm still raging around them...
It took a few minutes until Jay finally got back to reality. A reality that was getting crazier by the minute. First, he breaks tradition by saving and falling in love with one of the most dangerous species of Dragonbloods, then he loses his leg, and now his mother is back from the dead and living with dragonbloods. Why did things like that happen only to him? Right now, Libber was leading Jay and Kai through a maze of rock caves. While Jay struggled to keep up, Kai was easily able to navigate through the inner ice caves from his past experiences living in the nest for years.
"Ho-hold on! Wait just a minute!" Jay shouted as he chased after his mother through the caves, but he was steadily ignored. Libber swiftly jumped on the rocks ahead of him, motioning for him to follow.
"You can't just say something like that and run off!" He exclaimed angrily as he climbed on the rocks after her, noticeably slower and less gracefully while Kai came after him. "You're my MOTHER?! I mean what the– Do you- do you grasp how insane it sounds?!"
"She does kinda look like you," Kai called from the back.
"NOT HELPING KAI!" Jay screeched at him as they reached a steep slope that Libber climbed in seconds.
"Come quickly." She pressured the couple.
"I have questions! Where have you been all this time?!" He demanded as he attempted to climbs after her but slipped so Kai grabbed his waist and easily pushed him from behind. Jay felt his face heat up and this earned a round of chuckles from the brunette. It really wasn't easy to go through such terrain with a prosthetic leg. He had seen some of the people from Ninjago struggle and he had years of experience. Jay tumbled forward and got back on his feet right after to keep going.
"What've you been doing?! They said you were dead! Everybody thinks you were eaten by a..." He trailed off as they got out in an open, sunlit cavern where hundreds of different dragonbloods were flying around frozen structures covered in greenery. The sight brought gasped of wonder from both Jay and Kai. Kai was stunned to see such a peaceful nest. For most of their lives, he and Nya had been forced to join under that monster's rule and others were born there.
He would have never thought there was such an amazing place that was practically right next door to Ninjago.
As they step out, Jay and Kai glance at a group of baby Dragonbloods playing nearby. They both stepped back when a huge dragonblood flew right over them. Jay smiled at the multitude of dragonbloods flying freely in the open space. He got closer to the rim wherefrom above there was a creek running down the edge.
"Uh, Jaybird." Kai suddenly said and pointed up above them. Jay looked up and gasped when he saw the same Lightning Dragonblood hanging from the ceiling, his mother also holding it. The sapphire-colored dragonblood crooned as it tilted its head to look at them. Jay stared at the pair in shock. He honestly thought that he was the first dragonblood rider, yet here was his mother being so close to one. While a part of him was overjoyed that his mother was alive and well, a part of him was angry at her for being gone all these years.
He wanted to yell at her and tell her what it was like growing up with just a judgemental father and a disappointed village.
To make her feel as bad he felt his entire life. People might say he was being petty, but he didn't feel like that. But if she and the Lightning Dragonblood had a bond similar to the one he shared with Kai then there might be a chance for them to build bridges. His heart was still conflicted about this. Even though this place looked good he couldn't see what was so great about it to keep her away from her home, husband, and child.
"This is where you've been for 20 years?" Jay asked, not sure what else to say at the moment. Libber smiled and nodded as she observed him carefully, her face alight with happiness, hope, and a twinge of fear. Behind him, Kai sat down on a nearby boulder, seeing that this was a moment between Jay and Libber, not him. As he watched his boyfriend agonize on what to do, he was approached by a young Shadow Dragonblood. He chose to ignore the noirette and focused on Jay
"You... You've been rescuing them." Jay realized when he remembered what Clutch said about their fort being attacked. Libber looked around and nodded again. Jay was in complete disbelief as behind him the Shadow Dragonblood started nuzzling Kai in welcome. This caught the brunette off-guard for a second. After living with humans for five years, many of his friends and himself had had to force down their animal instincts. They didn't want to frighten the humans any more than they had.
Kai understood that the noirette didn't mean any harm, but he was worried that Jay might get the wrong idea and didn't want to upset the ginger-haired man any more than he was.
"You're not upset?" She asked a little nervously. Jay sort of was, but he didn't know how to tell her. His mother had been living among a dragonblood paradise while he had to put up with his father's disappointment and the villagers' mistrust.
"What? No, I-I don't know..." He stammered as Kai stepped away from the Shadow Dragonblood who watched him crestfallen. "It's a bit much to get my head around, to be frank; it's not every day you find out your mother is some kind of crazy, feral, vigilante, dragon lady." He chuckled awkwardly and Libber smiled sadly. Indeed, her ideas weren't welcomed. She could tell her son was heartbroken to hear how much happier she was among the beasts.
In the same way, Jay was more at ease on the back of his boyfriend.
With a quick look, the Lightning Dragonblood offered Libber a claw that she hooked her staff around and was lowered down, sliding on a wing. As soon as her feet touched the ground, the Lightning Dragonblood transformed into their human form. They were revealed to be a woman who was around the same age as Libber. She had long auburn hair kept in three separate braids behind her back and pale skin. She has a slim figure, but Jay could clearly make out some strong muscles.
She wore a midnight blue, long sleeve tunic, an orange belt, and black leggings that appear layered.
She had armbands and boots with spikes on the sides. She also had a few layers of cloth wrapped around her waist, with her left leg exposed.
"At least I'm not boring, right?" Libber replied as Jay looked around as an Ice Dragonblood in its dragon form bumped his shoulder and other young dragonbloods started coming over to look at them. They hadn't seen a Fire Dragonblood in years and the only human who was nice to them was Libber. He was hesitant to touch it but gave in when it continued.
"Well, I suppose there is that... one specific thing..." Jay muttered, not wanting to meet her eyes.
"Do you... Do you like it?" She asked as she approached him unsurely.
"I-I-I don't have the words..." He admitted, looking cautious and a bit hurt while Libber was acting like a fearful, untrusting dragonblood. But they didn't expect things to be fixed with a snap of the fingers. This was a very delicate matter. Unfortunately, Ninjago people didn't do delicate. Meanwhile, Kai was surrounded by curious dragonbloods. One dragonblood sniffed him down the clothes and then lifted him up with their bare hands. Kai was stunned as he found himself supported only by a stranger's hands.
"HEY! HANDS OFF THE MERCHANDISE YOU GODDAMN CREEPS!" He roared and they quickly backed off. Libber finally noticed the brunette and immediately got closer to him, hunching down.
"Can-Can I?" She whispered to her son, already seeing his bond with Kai. She had only caught a glimpse of a Fire Dragonblood when one attacked Ninjago all those years ago. She had been living here for about two decades and she had never seen a living, breathing Fire Dragonblood. Libber had feared that they were extinct. At Jay's approval, she crouched and dropped her staff.
"Oh, he's beautiful." She cooed as she lifted a hand for him to sniff then traced her hand through his spikey brown hair.
"Of course I am." Kai laughed along with her and nuzzled her cheek. Jay was little put off by Kai's actions, but he knew the brunette long enough to know he only loved Jay and he was prone to these animal interactions, whether he was in his human or dragon form, even though he mostly only did it in private with Jay and other dragonbloods. Jay was surprised to see his mother right in her element. She was still so beautiful as the pictures Cliff had shown him, and every one of her moves was graceful and fluid.
It spoke of years of trust and attention dedicated to the dragonbloods she had been living with.
It truly wasn't a big surprise to see her get along with Kai, an outside dragonblood, so easily. Kai watched them get along and smiled warmly, happy to see his mother and boyfriend becoming friends. Without realizing it, Libber stood on her knees and kept the brunette's head in her hands.
"Um... I'm sorry, but what's your name?" She asked and Kai chuckled.
"My name's Kai, and I've been dating Jay for almost five years now, he's a great guy." He replied with a smirk as he caught Jay blushing, only to freeze when he caught Libber's wide eyes.
"You're both dating?" She gasped as her eyes kept darting back and forth between the brunette and her son. Jay cast Kai an angry look, which made his fiery boyfriend wince, before looking back to her mother.
"Yeah... as Kai said, it's been going on for a few years now and we couldn't be happier."
"Yep, we've been talking about a summer beach wedding and a little cottage by the lakes for the grandkids." Kai laughed and was soon joined by Libber while Jay spluttered and stumbled to find any words as his face turned scarlet.
"T-That's not what's happening! I-I-I mean, we've talked a-about it but there's n-nothing set in stone, a-and things are t-tough right now and-"
"Jaybird, relax, I'm just messing with you." Kai sent through the link and Jay relaxed almost immediately. Libber quickly noticed the change in mood and it didn't take her long to figure out what was happening.
"YOU TWO SHARE A LINK!?" She screeched as if she had just been told everything she touched turned to diamonds and gold.
"You know what the link is?" Jay asked, but he wasn't that surprised. If she had been living with Dragonbloods for twenty years then she must know all their secrets and probably shared a link with one or more.
"Of course, many dragonbloods only share a link with people they trust and love the most; it's typically only shared with family members such as parents, siblings, mates, or children."
"Do you share a link with anyone around here?" Kai asked, eyeing a few locals still hanging around.
"Um, no, I don't; I've been living here for twenty years and I haven't shared a link like that with anyone, not even Wisp." She admitted, looking a little disappointed, gesturing to the Lightning Dragonblood she was riding earlier. "I'm so pleased and happy for you both that you can have something as special as that." She smiled as she wrapped her arms around her son and his boyfriend, which the couple happily returned.
"Thanks, Mom," Jay muttered.
"Um, Kai, if it's not too much bother can I please see your dragon form?" She asked, feeling very awkward asking. Kai chuckled lightly before he suddenly vanished a flash of red light and a dragon stood in his place. Libber didn't hesitate to look the red beast over, running her fingers over every scar and scale as her eyes burned every detail into her memory.
"He might very well be the last of his kind." She said without thinking.
"Thanks for the reminded." Kai thought as he trilled dejected. Jay glanced at his boyfriend and felt sorry for him. He wanted to comfort him but he wasn't sure if he was allowed to approach the Fire Dragonblood's side while his mother was inspecting him. He settled for sending the brunette as much love and comfort through their link, which Kai was thankful for. Kai then walked around her and butted his head underneath her arm for more attention.
He rolled on his back in her lap as she scratched him as inspected his neck, causing him to purr.
"Look, he's your age! No wonder you get along so well!" She gasped in delight and Jay smiled. Kai was in much better spirits. Libber was very nice and entertaining. It was quite obvious she would be since she was the mother of his boyfriend. They stood in front of each other again, Libber tipped her head up and down like Kai and mimicking his yelps of happiness. "How did you manage to meet such a magnificent creature?" She asked her son, not taking her eyes off Kai.
Libber's enthusiasm was infectious and Jay, Kai, and the nearby dragonbloods found themselves smiling and cheering.
When the couple registered her question, their smiles dropped and almost all the dragonbloods sensed it and took off faster than a Speed Dragonblood could blink.
"I found him in the woods; he was shot down and...wounded." He gulped, a little worried about how his mother would take the news about how he was the one who basically crippled Kai. When he said that, Libber frowned as she stood while Jay sheepishly fidgeted on the spot and Kai looked anywhere but her or Jay. She walked to a Water Dragonblood who was in their dragon form, missing their right back leg, and ran her hand down its jaw.
"Vapore lost her leg to one of Iron Baron's traps." She said as bent down to grab her staff and walked over to a Mind Dragonblood. "Interis got his wing sliced by razor netting, and this... oh, poor Theuros was blinded by a tree snare, and then left to die alone and scared." She whimpered as she carefully took hold of a Poison Dragonblood's hand and he leaned into her touch. Jay nodded along with her as he took a good look at some of the other dragonbloods perched around them.
Some were missing patches of scales, hard to see with their dark coloring, and others had tattered wings, no doubt from flying non-stop and whatever wound they gained from the traps.
He and Kai both stiffened, however, when she pointed to Kai's prosthetic fin.
"And what of this? Did Iron Baron or his filthy trappers do this atrocity too?" She snarled as her voice turned cold and hard as she gripped the leather and examined it and the couple instantly paled.
"Ooohh... hehe, yeah... Huh, well crazy thing is..." He gulped as he swung his arms awkwardly and walked closer to his boyfriend. "I'm actually the one who shot him down." He reluctantly confessed, only to receive a confused and angry look from his mother. "It's-It's okay though, he got me back, right baby?" Jay giggled as Kai shook his head happily in Jay's arms as he kept running his hands over his scales. "You couldn't save all of me, could you? You just had to make it even! So, peg leg!" He exclaimed and he threw an arm around Kai's neck and lifted his foot.
Libber was at a loss.
It really was the most obvious proof of the Gods' sense of humor. Her son condemned a dragonblood and in turn said dragonblood also crippled him for life. Now they love and depended on each other. Kai to fly and Jay to escape life. Kai suddenly shook him off and dove down between Jay's legs, throwing the human on his back as he laughed nervously. Libber, just as uncomfortable, got on her knees to touch Kai's snout again.
"What did your father think of your boyfriend?" She finally asked the second most awkward question for the couple.
"Uh... he-he didn't take it all that well... but then, he changed; they all did." He smiled as a crease of disapproval crossed Libber's face as she listened. "Pretty soon, dragonbloods from the nest came to live in Ninjago with everyone." Jay giggled lightly, still a little stunned at that fact, but his smile dropped when she shook her head.
"If only it were all possible." She scoffed and Jay's blood turned cold at his mother's certain doubt.
"No, really-"
"Believe me! I tried as well but people are not capable of change, Jay; some of us are just born different." She sighed as she sat up and looked at him and then at Wisp as Kai returned to his human form. Wisp suddenly took off to the sky to join the other dragonbloods. Libber sighed sadly as she remembered her last night in Ninjago. The sky was red and filled with smoke as a large Earth Dragonblood flew overhead. As it swept up, she remembered seeing a burning hall, the light illuminating the sky and revealing even more dragonbloods flying around.
Screams were heard and a giant torch was lifted.
"Ninjago was a land of kill or be killed, but I believed peace was possible." She told her son as she remembered the Earth Dragonblood falling down right in front of a charging soldier. As the man lifted his ax to kill it, he was stopped by Libber grabbing his arm. She believed that fighting would only make it worse. But it was a very unpopular opinion. That night was one of the worst raids the village had ever suffered and not only that but the Chief and his family very nearly died.
The Earth Dragonblood quickly go back up and flew away and the man looked at her with contempt.
As he ran off after the dragonblood, Libber looked at her house and saw a dragon getting in through the broken roof.
"Then, one night, a dragonblood broke into our house finding you in the cradle." She sighed as she visualized Wisp walking into the house towards a baby's cradle. As soon as Libber entered the room she reached for a sword near the door. She stopped, however, holding the blade up, when she saw the dragonblood playing with Jay with her giant claw. As she looked at the laughing baby and the dragonblood she lowered the weapon in amazement.
Kai cooed, thinking of his boyfriend as a cute, little baby.
Jay didn't know if he wanted to glare at him or bury himself in embarrassment as his face turned scarlet again.
"I rushed to protect you, but what I saw was proof of everything I believed." She smiled at the memory. When Wisp noticed her, the dragonblood accidentally scratched Jay's chin, making him cry as she turned around on the human, growling under her breath. Libber quickly took a few steps back, holding the sword up. But as she looked in Wisp's eyes, she let it go. This wasn't a vicious beast, but an intelligent, gentle creature whose soul reflected her own.
They looked in each other's eyes and a bond was born.
But then, an ax flew between them. The dragonblood retreated, howling as Cliff appeared, dodging its lightning, as he told his wife to run. Libber grabbed Wisp's wing but she shook her off and turned back to face her. Seeing her cornered, Cliff made his way through the flames to his son. She remembered his husband shouting at her to hold on like she was in danger. Once Jay was safe in his arms, the Chief looked back at his wife to see her being carried away by the dragonblood.
He watched through the hole in the roof as the dragonbloods flew further and further away from him and his crying son.
"You and your father nearly died that night, all because I couldn't kill a dragonblood." She mumbled, unable to look at her son or Kai.
"Runs in the family." Jay smiled faintly, starting to piece things together, as Kai pulled him into a one-armed hug for comfort. There were still things left unclear, but he shouldn't jump to conclusions.
"It broke my heart to stay away, but I believed it would be safer if I did." She finished and a blind man could all the years of pain and sorrow in her face and eyes.
"How did you survive?" He asked, fearing that Wisp had taken her to the nest then they both managed to escape that monster, but Libber suddenly burst out laughing.
"Oh, Wisp never meant to harm me; she must've thought I belonged here, in the home of the great Dragonblood of Creation." She beamed as they started walking closer to the edge. Down below, in a pool of water, was a huge, white, and gold creature with giant whiskers that looked like a beard and hundreds of long shining spikes jutting out from the back of his head and all over his back. Dragonbloods were flying around him and bowed down to him when they got close.
Kai's eyes widened when he saw the ancient dragonblood below them.
Creation was one of, if not the most powerful elements in the world; rivaled only by the element of Destruction and the mythical First Born. Many secrets remained about the true extent of this dragonblood's powers and abilities. Many believed it was just a myth. This white and gold dragon possessed the elements of Fire, Earth, Ice, and Lightning and could affect the physical world in ways that Elemental Dragonbloods couldn't.
"This is the Alpha species, one of the few that still exists; every Nest has its Queen but this is the King of all dragonsbloods," Libber smirked when she saw Jay and Kai's stunned faces at the sight of this giant, stunning creature. "With his icy breath, this graceful giant built a safe haven for dragonbloods everywhere." She smiled as she pointed with her staff at the ice-covered roof of the cave while they walked down.
"Wait, that's the ice-spitter? He's responsible for all that destruction?!" Jay gasped as he looked at the ice-covered roof.
"He protects us! We all live under his care and his command." She snapped, thinking he was being rude. Behind them, a group of hatchlings appeared out of the foliage and converged on a frightened and annoyed Kai. The Fire Dragonblood was only saved by Wisp scaring them off.
"All but the babies of course, who listen to no one." Libber laughed loudly as the babies flew around and hung on the King's face, unbothered whatsoever. The white and golden dragonblood rose and spun to look at them. On the hill they were on, Libber and Wisp bowed down as Jay looked at the giant's head. Even Kai felt intimidated as he crouched lower to the ground. The Alpha stood right in front of Jay, before transforming into his human form.
The Alpha was an elderly man with a long white beard.
He was wearing white robes and a conical straw hat with a tattered cape. He seemed to pull a long staff out of nowhere and walked over to them. Jay stood frozen as his mother, Wisp, and Kai was on their knees in a sign of respect. The ginger-haired man had never once seen Kai bow down to anyone, not even at the nest. This did little to ease Jay's worry as the old man came closer, examining Libber's son. His face showed no emotion as he scanned the young man up and down.
Jay gulped, getting ready to either run, beg, or just stay still as a statue.
All of a sudden, the old dragonblood transformed again and puffed a breath out that covered the two humans and two dragonbloods. Jay, being closer, ended up with his hair covered in frost before returning to his spot in the creek.
"Master Wu likes ya." His mother laughed merrily.
"Master Wu?" Kai asked as they get back to their feet, feeling like they could relax again.
"Yeah, that's his name." She replied as Jay shook his head from the frost and gasped at the impressive creature. "You must be hungry." She smiled at the couple.
"Ah, yeah, I could eat." Jay nodded.
"Same." Kai grinned as he and Jay held each other's hand.
"Good! It's feeding time." She said as she gently took her son's arm and guided them further into the sanctuary...
The clouds looked like cotton candy as Kai and Jay broke through them, not really sure where they were going. Jay just really wanted to find Iron Baron and be as far away from his father as possible. They flew above them, with the only sounds being the rush of the wind around them. Jay scowled at nothing until he clenched his fists and started yelling aloud in rage, stopping as he fell on his back a few seconds later. Kai moaned lightly, trying to be consoling to his boyfriend and Jay took a deep breath, knowing that lashing out wouldn't solve anything.
"That's right, better let it all out." Kai snorted at his boyfriend's outburst.
"You know me so well." He managed to grunt before sighing. "Don't worry, baby, I'm not gonna let anything happen to you." He promised as he patted the dragonblood's head from his laid-down position. Kai wasn't paying attention anymore, however, as he started looking around. He could see something peeking out of the clouds on their right and growled lowly. Jay didn't notice as he kept looking upward. In the corner of his eyes, he could see a figure beginning to rise out of the clouds and his brows scrunched up in frustration.
He stood up, ready to give the person he was sure was his father a piece of his mind.
He recoiled in shock when he saw an intimidating dark blue horned mask instead. The person, carrying a crooked staff and a shield, appears to be simply standing on the clouds. They slowly sank back into the cloud bed soon after. The air around the couple was tense with suffocating silence as Jay and Kai started looking carefully around them for any sign of the masked figure returning. They were worried that if they made any sudden movements it would lead to disaster.
A dragon cry was their only warning.
A huge Lightning Dragonblood surged out of the clouds right in front of them, on its back was the person from before. Kai flapped his wings to stop and hover in midair. Jay followed the path of the dragonblood with his eyes as it circles around them, the rider standing upright with unbelievable balance. The figure pointed its staff in their direction and the Lightning Dragonblood grunted as it came back to hover in front of them. The two dragonbloods were at a standstill, watching each other and disturbing the air and clouds around them.
Jay watched the Lightning Dragonblood and its mysterious rider closely.
There was something very familiar about that dragonblood. Kai narrowed his eyes and snarled threateningly. The other dragonblood roared as well, the crown around his skull widening with the motion. Another roar drew Kai's attention and he turned his head in time to see another dragonblood closing in and grabbing Jay around his arms. He yanked the boy out of the saddle and Kai struggled and growled as he fell down.
"KAI!" Jay screamed as his boyfriend plummeted down to the frozen ocean below. Kai was helpless as he tumbled down to the ground, never taking his eyes away from Jay. He fell through the ice and into the cold water of the north. Jay watched as he swam back to the surface, jumping in the air but not flying long or far before plunging down into the ocean. The sight was truly saddening and heart-wrenching. The Fire Dragonblood kept trying to reach his rider, howling to the sky as he watched the flock of dragonbloods carrying Jay further and further away.
Kai was in total shock. He was unable to fly on his own and now his rider was kidnapped by other dragonbloods and he was helpless during the whole thing.
His ears lowered and his eyes begun to shine. He didn't want to let that happen but he couldn't do anything either. As he struggled to stay afloat, he failed to see a crest behind him dipping in and out of the water. It wasn't long before Kai finally noticed them as he held onto a piece of ice. They swam around him and eventually take him under with them. The calming water was again disturbed by Jay's helmet surfacing...
As the group of dragonbloods led by the Lightning one and its rider Jay tried to get free the same way he did with Morro, the dragonblood holding him was much bigger. He tried reaching Kai through their link but he didn't get a reply. He really hoped that meant that Kai was just too focused on staying afloat. Jay knew that Kai was a terrible swimmer, and the freezing waters could seriously hinder his powers or cause damage. When it was clear he wasn't going get out of the Lightning Dragonblood's grip, Jay settled on gaining the attention of the person.
"HEY, YOU LEFT MY BOYFRIEND BACK THERE! HE CAN'T FLY ON HIS OWN, OR SWIM, HE'LL DROWN!" He shouted, but the rider wouldn't listen. They flew through the icebergs until they reached a massive ice fortress. They flew through a series of tunnels and entered a dark large cave. The dragonblood dropped Jay and he rolled back on his feet trying to pacify the creatures that surrounded him. "We have to head back for Kai!" He shouted as he put his hands up to show he wasn't a threat, unintentionally backing into an unfamiliar dragonblood that snarled.
Jay quickly took out his sword, activating it, and swung it in front of the dragonbloods.
The rider watched as the dragonbloods followed the glow of the flaming sword, calming down almost right away. As the flames began to die, he switched it off and took a capsule from his ankle holster that he put inside the device. He spun low to the ground, releasing the gas, and then lit it, making the dragonbloods back off. He then stood up and cautiously approached a different Lightning Dragonblood with his palm up. Before he could touch it, however, the rider jumped inside the circle.
Jay jumped back and watched the stranger anxiously.
"Who are you? The dragon thief? Uh, Iron Baron? Do you even understand what I'm saying?!" He snapped as the strange, silent rider, who had been analyzing the teen so far, swung its staff and hit it on the floor, making it rattle. The noise affected the dragonbloods and one of them flew overhead dragging in its claws the missing Fire Dragonblood. He was in his human form, soaking wet, and only just regaining consciousness as he hacked up the seawater from his lungs.
"Kai!" Jay cried with joy as he ran to him and hugged him while he shook off the water.
"I'm okay, Jaybird, it takes a lot more than a cold bath to kill me off." The brunette reassured Jay, still shivering from the cold.
"I'm so glad to see you too, baby; you really had me worried there." Jay giggled, close to tears as he tried to hug the air out of Kai. Kai smiled warmly as he gave Jay little kisses, happy to be reunited too as he used his powers to warm himself up. On the side of the cave, the rider tilted their head and started shaking the staff. The rattle had all of the Light and Lightning dragonbloods open their mouths and ignite their powers but without shooting.
This illuminated the cave, showing the couple how much they were surrounded.
Kai stood in front of his friend protectively as the mysterious rider started getting closer. The strange person crouched, dropping the staff and shield, as it crawled on four limbs towards them. The two backed away with Kai growling all the while. The rider leaned closer with its hand and twisted it to the side. Unexpectedly, Kai suddenly dipped and fell to the side, crooning in delight, despite being in human form. Jay gasped worry, but at least Kai was still breathing.
The person started to stroke Kai's jaw and then moved on to Jay.
The youth watched the hand warily, backing away uncomfortably as he realizes the rider wanted to touch him. A light gasp was heard under the mask and the person's finger stop short of Jay's chin. Where a small scar was just barely visible. It stepped back and crouched again.
"Jay?" The feminine voice surprised the ginger-haired man, who stuttered as he tried to come up with an answer. Before he could, the rider removed the mask revealing a beautiful woman who looked to be in her very early forties. The dim light in the cave allowed him to get a good look at the woman. The shoulders were fairly pointy, very wide and large in size, and black in color. They were decorated with layered pieces of curved metal, starting at the inner sides and curving outwards.
The upper arms were protected by black, rounded, layered metal rerebraces which sat loosely under the shoulder plates.
The lower arms were covered by vambraces which had an intricately crafted sigil attached to each outer side. The breastplate was a dark sapphire blue and made from several separate pieces which were layered on top of each other. It had what looked like a white lightning design carved into it. It covered almost everything from the neck down and ended at the groin, but the sides were only covered near the bottom. The upper legs were covered by pointed, layered metal.
The lower legs were protected by black greaves which had metal flower ornament pieces covering the outer sides.
The woman looked almost exactly like Jay except for her long blonde hair and stormy blue eyes.
"C-Could it be? After all these years... how is this possible?" The woman stuttered in shock as her excited eyes scanned the young man before her.
"Eh, should I... should I know you?" Jay asked fearfully as Kai regained his senses and got to his knees and the woman visibly deflated.
"No... you were only a baby back then." She muttered sadly, looking ready to cry until she finally looked him dead in the eyes. "But a mother never forgets." She said loud and clearly. It felt like every species of dragonbloods Jay could name had struck him down. His body just went limp and he kept staring at her. Kai was also in his own unresponsive state. That was his boyfriend's long-lost mother, Libber Gordon. The woman he never got to meet.
The woman he found Jay and Cliff still mourned on occasions, and she was alive and a dragonblood rider like her son.
Kai took a sharp intake of breath and began to back off. The woman raised a hand and made a soothing sound. She looked to the side at a loss of what to do and then glanced back at him with the beginning of a smile.
"Come."...
"Ground all dragonbloods!" Cliff shouted at the top of his lungs as he ran through the underground stone corridor to the hanger. Jay and Kai were trailing after the chief as he ran ahead, bellowing orders to anyone who would listen. Cole and Ed were also following them, also concerned about Cliff's fear. The others were following Cliff's orders and locking down the island, even though some of the dragonbloods weren't happy about it. They hated being controlled and ordered around, especially after all those years of being enslaved by that monster at the nest.
Unfortunately, as they were living on Cliff's island, they had to live by his rules.
As soon as Jay confirmed Iron Baron's name, it was like Cliff suddenly became a completely different person. One not seen by his family or anyone in Ninjago. As he was growing up, Jay had seen his father in chief mode, father mode, over-protective mode, and sometimes he could just be an insensitive and condescending jerk. This Cliff was very different, however. He looked downright terrified as he ran around the hanger, and it was very unnerving for Jay to see.
"What?! Why?" Jay cried in shock, but Cliff ignored his son.
"Seal the gates! Lower the storm doors!" He shouted as they entered a bigger cavern. Jay tried to keep up while Kai followed him, just as bewildered.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait, wait, what is happening?" The brunette asked as everyone rushed around.
"Come on, you heard the man, lock it down!" Ed echoed around the underground cave with dragonbloods and humans milling around as the group climbed down the stairs, one-half alert and the other half confused. People began to pull down levers and the gate that led outside slowly closed.
"No dragonblood or man sets foot off this island until I give the word!" Cliff bellowed and dragonbloods and humans start running around in near panic at their Chief's sudden alarm. Cliff ignored the stairs and jumped down the platform along with Kai and Ed.
"Wait, all this because some weird guy you knew is stirring up troubles on some faraway land?" Jay asked in shock. He had never seen his father run from anything in his life. Without warning, Cliff suddenly got into his son's face, a look of fear, anger, and determination plastered on his face.
"Because Iron Baron is a madman, without conscience or mercy, and if he's built a dragonblood army... Gods help us all!" He muttered in horror before he started to scream orders at his men again as he paced around. Jay wasn't discouraged by this and caught up to him, cutting off his path. Ed had to give the kid some points for audacity. He had always known the lad had it in him to stand up to his own father.
"Let's ride back out there," Jay suggested, trying to be positive. "We'll follow those trappers to Iron Baron and talk some sense into him."
"No! We fortify the island!" Cliff insisted.
"It's our duty to keep the peace!" Jay argued.
"Peace is over, Jay! I must prepare you for war."
"War!?" Kai exclaimed in shock. He could tell Cliff was scared of the Iron Baron, so was Kai, but the brunette didn't expect it to go so far.
"Dad, if this Iron Baron is coming for the dragonbloods, we can't wait around for him to get here! Let's go find him and change his mind!" Jay pushed, but the chief was too stubborn to listen.
"No, some minds won't be changed, Jay; Ninjago is what you need to worry about! A Chief protects his own!" He snapped at the young man before turning back to the panicking humans and dragonbloods running around the hanger. "Secure the stables! Latch every stall!" He ordered as he ran ahead, leaving Jay and Kai alone in the middle of the hanger. As he left, Jay looked at Kai and gave his hotheaded boyfriend a comforting look, sensing his unease.
The Fire Dragonblood then went and gently touched his arm, already knowing he was up to something from his determined look.
"Jay, don't!" He tried to reason with his boyfriend, but Jay was just as stubborn as his father.
"I have to baby, you know that." He replied as he leaned down for a quick peck on Kai's cheek and that was all it took to convince Kai into transforming into his dragon form. Cliff saw the flash of Kai's transformation, but before he could turn around completely, Jay was already on top of Kai's dragon form and then they were in the air and swooping underneath the closing hanger gate. The couple tried to find a way out as the windows and other openings of the cave were closing off.
Luckily, they managed to get into the open air before the last gate was closed.
As the Chief and Ed watch him go, another dragon swooped down behind them and takes after them. When they saw what was happening, Pixal also transformed and she and Zane chased after the pair. Zane frowned as the gate slowly rose and the light was blocked but in the last second, he and Zane were out right before the entrance was locked. Cliff sighed and shook his head as he watched his son and Zane fly off into the distance...
As the sun began to set, a ship was sailing in the icy sea near some huge cliffs. At the front of the ship stood Clutch Powers, watching the horizon before he walked back on the deck where his men were working and pulling ropes. They all had to keep their eyes peeled. With this wind, they would reach Iron Baron by daybreak so they had to fill up the ship with dragonbloods and quick. It was no time to be picky. Not with riders showing up to rescue their targets almost every night.
He just couldn't understand how anyone could like those flying, murderous, monsters.
As Clutch examined his maps, trying to pinpoint the most recent dragonblood sightings with their route, one of the sailors looked in the sky, and Clutch noticed that and followed his gaze. Everyone was watched the two dragonbloods appeared in the distance and flew towards them. Clutch brightened up at the sight of two healthy-looking targets.
"Get them, lads! Take them down! He ordered as he aimed the crossbow with a satisfied smirk. It was wiped off, however, when he realized who the dragonbloods were. The same riders and dragonbloods that they had met earlier that day. As the men around him yelled and prepared themselves for capture while Clutch frowned and pulled the machine.
"You're not getting away this time!" He shouted at the riders.
"Jaybird, please tell me you have a plan at least." Kai gulped mentally as they flew closer to the ship. The ginger-haired man didn't say anything to his boyfriend, however. He wasn't confident enough to even look at him. "YOU DON'T HAVE A PLAN!?" He roared, catching Zane and Pixal's attention.
"Is everything alright?" Zane asked in worry, but Jay gave him a comforting smile.
"Yeah, we're good, Kai's just being paranoid as per usual." He reassured as he petted the Fire Dragonblood's head. Kai only snorted in disbelief, but before he could respond, Clutch started firing net at them. The launched nets were gracefully avoided and Kai got closer to the ship until he could leap on the deck with Pixal following seconds after. Jay removed his helmet while Zane spun his large shurikens and Clutch takes out his blade.
"And here I was worried I may turn up empty-handed," Clutch smirked as he prepared for the riders to make the first strike.
"Nope! It's your lucky day, we're here to give up." Jay chirped as he held out a hand for Zane to put down his weapon and for Pixal and Kai to return to their human forms, which they all did. The hunters and Clutch were shocked to see the dragonbloods transform into humans. They knew dragonbloods could do this, but they rarely saw this. When they all finally registered Jay's words, everyone blinked in shock. Even Kai and Pixal were confused, and Kai practically shared a mind with him.
What was his human boyfriend up to?
Zane looked at him like he was crazy as Jay put his arms up in surrender. Everybody else was too busy gawking to even remember to pick up their fallen jaws. Clutch also almost dropped his knife as he raised a confused eyebrow. Jay and Zane walked away from their dragonbloods and Jay leaned down to take a net.
"That's one Fire Dragonblood, one Ice Dragonblood, and two of the finest riders from the sunny island of Ninjago; that ought to make the boss happy, right?" He smirked as he suddenly threw the net over his three friends all froze in shock. Kai really hoped Jay did have a plan or else the human would be sleeping outside for a week. Mutters of insane and worried rumbles flew in the air around them. Pixal mentally begging the crazy boy who apparently was willing to sell them to a bunch of hunters to explain himself faster or she would happily freeze him right where he stood.
Jay said nothing to his friends as he pushed Zane's shurikens into Clutch's hands, who was still rooted to the spot and watching Jay in disbelief. He backed off when Kai bared his fangs at him to follow.
Jay then shoved out of the way the weapons of the dumbstruck crew while Zane, Kai, and Pixal finally got the net off. They all climbed down in a cage built below the ship while the men are still watching.
"What are you doing Jaybird?" Kai hissed at his boyfriend as Jay followed after him, pulling down the barred opening. This only made Kai more worried as he was a bit lost by his boyfriend's actions. They were among enemies yet the boy and Zane were not aggressive. Granted he somehow doubted Jay would ever intentionally be aggressive. He just didn't seem to carry that type of intimidating aura like his fellow humans. He was also concerned that he willingly entered a cage.
He whined in his throat at Jay's confusing gestures that made a dragonblood as mighty as he behaves like a mother watching its hatchling from falling out of the sky.
For the life of him, Kai just couldn't understand his human, boyfriend, rider sometimes.
"Kai, just relax." Jay pleaded as he turned back to the hunters. "Dragonbloods don't really care for cramped spaces, but they won't be any trouble." He promised, but this had a very opposite effect to what he was hoping for. The people suddenly pointed all of their weapons at the Fire Dragonblood, making Kai jump in fright as he transformed, eyes like needles and back arched like a cat. Pixal quickly followed his lead, also feeling incredibly threatened.
She had spent many long and grueling months locked up in a cage in the arena back in Ninjago, so this was all brought back some very painful memories.
Zane seemed to sense this and gently rubbed her head to help her relax. It worked, but only a little bit. Kai lowered his body to the ground and growled. Jay resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he poked his head through the bars. Clutch stared at him with a flat look. Beside him, a hooded man fidgeted with his weapon. After a short staring contest, Clutch rolled his eyes to the sky when a sword sticks out of the cage. The crew jumps back when it lit up in flames.
Jay popped out again, hitting his head as if reprimanding himself for not remembering.
"Can't have armed prisoners." He smiled as he gave the sword to a man while down below Ka, Zane, and Pixal watched everything unfold with trepidation.
"How is this a plan?" Kai mentally glared at the back of his head. But Jay was more focused on the trappers and gaining their trust.
"Just what every dragonblood trapper needs." He smiled as the men inspected the device he made curiously. One end coated the blade in saliva from Kai's dragon form and the other sprayed gas from Tox. As the men looked at the weapon, they accidentally activated the gas. They desperately tried to shut it off, and Clutch stepped away while another man clicked the lighter by mistake. Jay ducked below as an explosion rocked the deck. The two men that caused the explosion were covered in soot and coughing.
A spark was floating around and glided into the cage.
Without thinking, Kai and Pixal leaped onto their back legs and played with it, trying to be the first to catch it with their paws. Jay almost squealed at the sight and Zane smiled. Despite being intelligent, powerful creatures, dragonbloods were still animals deep down. Jay would even use light reflecting off his knife to make a little dot for Kai to chase like a cat. When he finally regained his senses and the spark faded, Kai moaned and covered his face with a paw.
He hated it when he acted cute when he was supposed to be daunting and remarkable.
He always told Jay and anyone that he was a fearless creature, not some cuddly toy. Having enough of the show, Clutch stomped to the men and grabbed the sword before he turned to Jay.
"What game are you playing?" He demanded.
"Eh, no game, ee just want to meet the Iron Baron." He shrugged innocently.
"Why?"
"Because I'm going to change his mind about dragonbloods." He replied, looking more serious than Clutch had thought the small man was capable of and the crew started to laugh. Zane sighed in disagreement but said nothing.
"Some minds cannot be changed, Jaybird, you really have to understand that." Kai mentally mumbled with a tired thought when Jay caught his eye he shook his head and that visibly hit the ginger-haired man judging by his surprised look. The teen was silent as he stared back until he finally gathered his thoughts.
"Well, you changed yours, so did my Dad and all of Ninjago." He shot back just as determined but a tad more subdued, and Kai looked away. Zane and Pixal shared a look, knowing that the couple were having a private talk, and were feeling very uncomfortable at being in the middle. When he knew he had won their short argument, Jay slowly climbed out of the cage and was joined by Zane and the two dragonbloods. The trappers raised their weapons but waited for Clutch's command.
"He can be very persuasive," Zane added, trying to help his friend.
"Once you gain their loyalty there is nothing a dragonblood won't do for you." Jay smiled as he scratched the Fire Dragonblood's ear fondly, demonstrating their close bond and showing Kai he wasn't upset with him. But Clutch was still not convinced.
"You won't be changing any minds around here." He snorted.
"I can change yours right here, right now." He promised as he reached for Kai's flying gear, pulling a lever that spread the prosthetic tailfin.
"You sure about this Jaybird?" Kai asked nervously, but his boyfriend sent him as much love and reassurance as he could through their link. Once he was sure Kai would be alright, Jay turned back to Clutch.
"May I?" He asked as he extended his hand for Clutch to take. Only he didn't get the chance to do anything because all of a sudden, a dark green shape moved across the ship and snatched him away. Another dragonblood flew by and ripped the sails. Within seconds, the trapper's ship was surrounded by a few dragonbloods. The sailors tried to stay on their feet as Clutch glanced around at the sky for the assailants. Fearing for his boyfriend, Kai leaped onto the mast and sails growling loudly, until he stopped when he saw they were the other riders from Ninjago.
He was relieved to see Jay in Morro's claws.
"Put me down! Harumi, what are you doing?!" Jay screeched as he struggled in the Wind Dragonblood's claws, but Harumi and Morro had to suddenly duck with everyone else as the trappers started firing nets at them. As most of the riders managed to dodge the nets, Dareth and Tox weren't as fast and one of the nets wrapped around them. They would have fallen into the icy sea if Rocky hadn't caught them in the air. The Earth Dragonblood hovered in place as Cole climbed down and cut the net away with a knife, freeing the pair.
While they were all distracted, Jay finally managed to push his legs up and released himself from Morro's grip.
As he fell headfirst he looped his hands through the bands around his legs and unfolded his wings. On the deck, Zane rushed Clutch and pushed him away from the catapult, but the net was still fired. Luckily, Jay avoided it as he glided back down to the ship. He grabbed a rope from a sail and slid down on the deck. Kai jumped beside him as he took off the wings and nuzzled the human affectionately. He would have transformed and hugged Jay, but he still didn't feel safe enough to do that yet.
"What are you guys doing here?!"
"We're here to rescue you!
"We don't need to be rescued!
"Enough!" A voice suddenly boomed and a large dragonblood made of metal landed behind a sail, with Cliff Gordon as the rider and Ed as a back passenger. This was Karloff, a large Metal Dragonblood. A couple of years ago, Jay finally convinced his father to partner up with a dragonblood like almost everyone else in Ninjago. After many failed attempts to connect with a dragonblood, Cliff met Karloff in a local tavern and the two of them hit it off right away.
They were now regular drink buddies and partnered up whenever Cliff needed a dragonblood.
Karloff roared in agreement with his rider and Jay turned just as the Chief hopped down with a thud on the floor.
"Well, you just picked the wrong ship!" Clutch sneered as he gestured angrily at them. Cliff just heaved a sigh in frustration. Before the lead trapper could say another word, the chief grabbed his face without a word and pushed him away, being in no mood to deal with other people with attitude problems. He slid down and as he tried to stand, Zane hit him in the head, knocking him back down. Before he could get up again, Pixal suddenly pinned Clutch down, her icy breath leaving bits of frost in his face and hair.
Clutch was smart enough to stop struggling.
"Does anybody else want to try anything?" Cliff growled and the crew reluctantly lowered their weapons. They may be skilled in the art of Dragonblood hunting, but they weren't stupid enough to take on eight different Dragonbloods and nine humans. "That's what I figured." Cliff huffed and turned to glare at Jay. "You, saddle up; we're going home."
"No." Jay snapped. It was so blunt that Cliff almost fell over. That ungrateful, idiotic son of his! What had he done to deserve so much grief from his family? First Libber and now Jay? It must have come from her side of the family, no doubt about it.
"Of all the irresponsible–"
"I'm trying to protect our dragonbloods and stop a war! How is that irresponsible?!"
"BECAUSE WAR IS WHAT HE WANTS, SON!" Cliff shouted louder than he had in his life. The exasperation in his voice had Jay freeze and Cliff realized he had to explain. With a heavy sigh, he began to tell the story of Iron Baron. "Years ago there was a great gathering of chieftains to discuss the dragonblood scourge we all faced." He started and Ed gripped his friend's arm tightly. The Chief was rubbing his eyes and frowning. Ed had a feeling that by the end of this his friend would have aged decades.
Who could have thought that something so old and gone would surge from the folds of the past and haunt him so much?
As Cliff recounted his encounter with the Iron Baron, his mind flashed to the past. A younger Cliff looked around at the other chiefs sitting on high chairs as a pale, hunched figure was stepping in their middle.
"Into our midst came a stranger from a strange land, covered in scars and draped in a cloak of dragon skin; he carried no weapon and spoke softly, saying that he, Iron Baron was a man of the people devoted to free mankind from the tyranny of dragonbloods." He said as he remembered the man speaking to the chiefs and Cliff leaned down in his chair, scratching his chin as he listened with the others. "He claimed that he alone could control all the dragonbloods and that he alone can keep us safe if, we chose to bow down and follow him." He sighed sadly as the sound of the other chiefs laughing rowdily at the man's boldness still ringing in his ears.
In the present day, the teens all started laughing too, Dareth and Plundar the loudest.
Ronin was laughing so loud that he had to wipe a tear from his eye.
"Yeah, we all laughed too; until he wrapped himself in his cloak and cried out: Then see how well you do without me." Cliff shuddered at the memory. "Then the rooftops of the meeting hall suddenly burst into flames and from it armies of dragonbloods descended, burning everything to the ground!" He hissed angrily before it melted into a look of sorrow and regret. "I... was the only one to escape." He muttered and everyone on the deck fell silent at the confession.
Jay still wasn't convinced, however, and everyone could see it.
"Men who kill without reason cannot be reasoned with." Cliff tried to convince him, but as usual, his son was stubborn.
"Maybe, but I'm still going to try." Jay insisted as he walked away. Clutch followed Jay with his gaze as the younger man Jay hopped onto the Fire Dragonblood, just as surprised as the chief. "This is what I'm good at, and if I could change your mind, then I can change his too." He added, sounding sincere but determined at the same time. Ed smiled at his apprentice's courage while the Chief shook his head. With one thought from Jay, Kai took off and Cole runs over to Rocky to follow.
"Let's go!" He ordered to the other riders, but Cliff grabbed his arm.
"No, lead the others back to Ninjago; I've had enough mutiny for one day." He growled as he stepped away from the Earth Dragonblood and his rider. Down with Clutch, Pixal still had him pinned to the deck until Zane managed to pull her off. As quickly as they had appeared, the riders all flew from the trappers' boat, with Ed and Cliff chasing after Jay and Kai and the others heading back to Ninjago. Clutch couldn't move from the deck, too shocked and confused by what just happened...